This application relates to a patient table. More particularly, this application relates to a patient table for transferring a patient into an imaging system.
Currently, patients and objects can be imaged using a wide variety of different imaging technologies. Such imaging technologies can include magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”), computer tomography (“CT”), x-ray imaging, and others. Each imaging technology has unique advantages and disadvantages in imaging certain types of physiological or physical characteristics. MRI images, for example, provide excellent soft tissue contrast with no exposure to ionizing radiation. MRI images also provide three-dimensional image acquisition.
MRI is a diagnostic imaging modality that does not rely on ionizing radiation. Instead, it uses strong (ideally) static magnetic fields, RF pulses of energy and magnetic field gradient waveforms. An RF coil produces the RF pulses. MRI is a non-invasive procedure that uses nuclear magnetization and radio waves for producing internal pictures of a subject. Three-dimensional diagnostic image data is acquired for respective “slices” of an area of the subject under investigation. These slices of data typically provide structural detail having a resolution of one millimeter or better. An MRI system requires not only an intensive uniform magnetic field generator, but also a suite of associated electronics to operate the MRI system.
For a surgical operating room (“OR”) situation, patient transfer from surgery into a MRI scanner during a surgical procedure has only been available if the patient is physically lifted from the OR table, which involves extreme risk to the patient. Such a procedure can cause excessive anatomical movement and disruption of the patient.
Furthermore, established geometries and patient restraint features of patient support tables for other imaging modalities such as radiology, and interventional modalities such as oncological radiotherapy and fluoroscopy are typically not compatible with MRI systems. Accordingly, beneficial anatomical information available from MRI is not easily transferable to such other modalities.